Biography
Born: Manchester, UK
DOB: 20th March 1991
Age: 16
Height: 5ft 10ins
Weight: 9.2st / 60kg
Eyes: Green
Hair: Blonde/brown
Lives: Knutsford, Cheshire, UK Favourites
People: Ayrton Senna, Sir Stirling Moss, Michael Bentwood
Music: Il Divo, Michael Buble, Kanye West + Dance music.
Movies: Shawshank Redemption, Love Actually, Casino Royale and many more
TV: Discovery Channel, X Factor, Family Guy
Books: A Series of unfortunate events- 15 books and many racing biographies
Pastimes: Snow Skiing, Scuba Diving, Five-a-side Football, Mountain Biking, Current Business Affairs.
At the age of 9, Oliver started karting, he then progressed to race at Three Sisters in Wigan at the age of 11 under the close eye of Michael Bentwood Management and was engineered by the well respected Steve Ogden. Oli displayed his talent for karting from the word go, winning his first novice race. He went on to win numerous races and claimed the Three Sisters Mini max championship in 2005.
Oli then entered the T-Cars Championship with Graham Hathaway Engineering, who had previously run a number of successful drivers. The T-Cars Championship allowed youngsters from the age of just 14 years old to drive a purpose-built racing car, learning all the established tracks such as Brands Hatch, Silverstone and Donington. Whilst learning how to change gear, Oli carried on with his karting career, moving up to the Junior Max class, which posed stiffer opposition. He managed to finish fourth in the Three Sisters Championship but missed some rounds due to his T-car commitments and schooling activities.
In late 2005 Oli competed in the T-Cars Winter Series, gaining more valuable race craft, converting this to second place in the championship with a number of second place finishes. Oli then started 2006 on fire, winning both races at Brands Hatch in his newly-built car prepared by PR motor sport. Oli went on to achieve an impressive 11 podium finishes with a record seven fastest laps, finishing third in the 2006 T-Cars Championship, clearly marking his name on British motorsport.
During 2006, Michael Bentwood entered Oli into the Formula BMW Scholarship Programme where drivers have the opportunity to be awarded with a financial contribution towards their racing budget and an education and coaching programme from BMW Motorsport. Oli is one of just six young drivers granted the prestigious Formula BMW Scholarship, and was awarded his prize after a gruelling selection day at the Formula BMW Racing Centre in Valencia, overseen by a panel of judges including 1992 Formula One World Champion, Nigel Mansell.
For 2007 Oli now enters the world of single seaters with a formidable team - Carlin Motorsport. Michael Bentwood said: “Oli is looking forward to competing in a very exciting formula, he has been a race winner in all of his previous exploits and is a worthy scholarship driver.
“We’ve signed him with a strong team and I’m pleased with the way he has adapted to a Formula BMW. His progress has been very solid throughout winter testing and he is very determined to compete at the front of the grid.”
Oli has now completed a series of tests in the new Formula Renault with Fortec motorsport and is getting up to speed quickly, with good winter series finishes in 2007 he will move on the aim to win the gratuate cup in 2008 with Fortec Motorsport.
